Communication systems play a critical role in public safety. Remote speaker microphones are used in conjunction with portable two-way radios to increase a user's mobility. Public safety personnel, for example, fire fighters, police officers, and medical rescue personnel, typically use these devices. These users are also beginning to increasingly rely on their cellular telephones for non-critical communication. Cellular telephones typically lack high audio capability making them unsuitable for most public safety applications. The ability to have a cellular telephone operate in the public safety arena would be highly beneficial to public safety users.
Wireless personal digital assistant (“PDA”) devices are also being required of some public safety personnel, presenting an additional device to be carried by the user. The proliferation of communication devices, such as telephones, pagers, PDAs, and two-way radios, increases the number of user interface points that may lead to user confusion. The overcrowding of devices worn on the user's belt or pockets can also become burdensome and uncomfortable for the user. Additionally, although carried by a single user, all of these devices must be charged separately requiring multiple accessories.
Tracking public safety personnel has become increasingly important to public safety communications as well. Vehicle based public safety personnel typically use two-way radio systems, however many vehicle based mobile radios are limited to in-vehicle use only. Public safety users may need to leave their vehicle and thus public safety agencies need the ability to track location within and outside of the vehicle. To do so without adding devices to the vehicle or requiring additional devices to be worn by the user is again highly desirable.
Combining functionality and adding features to communications products presents challenges to designers. Design parameters that are considered include battery life, audio quality, display functionality, communication range, charger capability, form factors, and ruggedness. Thus, it would be desirable to have multiple communication devices take on new functional capabilities.